Abstract Thisarenewalapplication,andwouldprovidefundingtoadministertheNeurosurgeon ResearchCareerDevelopmentProgram(NRCDP)foranotherfiveyears.Thepurposeofthis awardistoprovidethebasisforacontinuednationalefforttosupport,train,andmentorjunior neurosurgicalfacultymembersatappropriateinstitutionsnationwide.Thisapplicationdescribes allkeyaspectsforthemechanismofrecruitingapplicantsandthedevelopingtheminto surgeon-scientiststhroughcontinuingtheNeurosurgeonResearchCareerDevelopment Program(NRCDP).Theproposaladdressestopicssuchastherationalefortheprogram,the relevanthistoryofthePIandInstitution,andtheongoingneedfortheNRCDP.Theproposal alsoaddressestherationalefortheselectionofaNationalAdvisoryCommittee(NAC).Italso detailsawell-developedsystemfortherecruitmentofapplicants.Inaddition,thereisa descriptionoftheexistingandrobustsystemforselectionofscholar-applicantsbasedontheir potentialforsuccess,thetrackrecordoftheirmentor,andthesupportoftheirChairpersons.In addition,therearedetailsofanannualthree-dayretreat,whichhasbeenheldforfiveyears, thatincludesapplicantinterviews,lectures,andinteractivegrant-writingsessions.Finally,there isadescriptionoftheadvisoryboardmeetingforreviewofapplications. Thisprogramhasbeenextremelysuccessful.Fiveyearsago,whenthisNRCDPwas firstawarded,asearchofNINDSdatarevealedonly4neurosurgeonswithactiveK08awards. Currently,thereareatotalof12neurosurgeonswithactiveK08awards.Ofthecurrentlyactive K08awards,fourarescholarsofthisNRCDPprogramandtwowereapplicants.Inotherwords, overthefive-yearspanofthetheNRCDP,therehasbeenroughlya300%increasein neurosurgeonK08awards.Moreover,50%ofallcurrentNINDSK08?s,awardedto neurosurgeons,areaffiliatedwiththeNRCDPeitherthroughdirectsupportorthrough participationintheprogram.Anotherthreealumniobtainedindependentfederalfundingthrough othermechanisms.Ifthescholarsfundedin2016areexcludedfromtheanalysis,whichis reasonablegiventhattheyhaveonlybeenfundedforafewmonths,then7outof10,or70%,of scholarshavesuccessfullyobtainedindependentfederalfundinginarelativelyshortperiodof time.Inouropinion,thisisanexcellentsuccessrate.Perhapsasimportantly,theNRCDPhas fosteredahealthyandburgeoningcommunityofjuniorneurosurgeon-scientiststhatwillform thebasisforreinvigorationthelongtraditionofscientificresearchinneurosurgery.